Don Allphin

Herald Correspondent.With safe ice conditions on the most popular fishing destinations in northern Utah, it's finally time to target specific species for some great winter fun. The DWR is asking for help finding the mysterious Starvation perch. According to DWR officials, perch disappear when ice covers the reservoir. I, personally, wouldn't know, since I've never fished for perch in the winter on Starvation.

In the springtime and on through until the first of September, Starvation is a fairly easy fishery to fish -- and to target specific species. The perch can be all over the reservoir, but tend to congregate near the islands just east of the dam. The walleyes are on the edges of major drop-offs and on the sand in the swimming area. The bass are on rocky points, edges of drop-offs and grass flats, and the trout are suspended in 19-to-30 feet of water until nighttime when they move to the shallows. Pretty straight-forward right?

So, what happens to the perch in the winter? The DWR wants your help solving this mystery. At a.m. on Saturday, Jan; 17, near the boat ramp at Starvation State Park, wildlife officials will be organizing a massive "perch search" by spreading as many anglers as it can possibly corral across the entire lake in hopes of figuring out where the Starvation perch go in the winter.

Perch are great table fare and are very easy to catch as long as schools can be located.

It would be wise to take portable electronics or even an underwater camera to help in the seach. Baits should include small plastic grubs in pinks, greens and whites, tipped with night crawlers or meal worms. Berkley Gulp makes some great ice fishing baits too, if you want to go entirely artificial.

Due to a late-season elk hunt, I won't be able to be there Saturday, but I hope many of you will take the opportunity to help locate "Waldo." Good luck and as always, let me know how it goes.

• Don Allphin can be reached at remaxdoa@gmail.com.